Jumping board



C. MORAVETZ Aug. 17, 1965 JUMPING BOARD Filed April 2, 1962 NVENTOR.

United States Patent 0 3,201,121 EUR/[PING BOARD Clilford Moravetz, Winnetsa, Ill.

(486 Jefferson, Glencoe, Ill.) Filed Apr. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 184,468 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-65) This invention relates to amusement devices and particularly to that type of device wherein persons positioned at opposite'ends of the device may alternately, by jumping on their respective end of the device, propel each other into the air.

There are many types of amusement devices of the teeter-totter type whereon children amuse themselves by rocking upwardly and downwardly. However, such rockl ing devices are enjoyed, for the most part, by very young children. The present invention contemplates an amusement device which can simply'and safely be enjoyed by young children but provides suiiicient challenge and excitement to be enjoyed by older children, teenagers, and

tion is the provision of an amusement device, of the character described herein, which is suitable for and can be enjoyed by persons ranging from grammar school age to adulthood.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simply yet sturdily constructed one piece amusement device which can be utilized either indoors or outdoors.

Another object is the provision of such an amusement device which can be utilized by persons differing from each other greatly in weight.

Other objects and advantageous characteristics of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure and accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one alternate embodiment utilizing the same general principles but ,difiering in structural details from the device shown in FIG- URE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, it is seen that the device comprises spaced platforms it suitably secured as by bolting or riveting, if the platforms be of wood, or by welding if the platforms be of metal, to an elongated frame indicated generally at 12. The platforms are supported upon spaced longitudinal members l4 and 16 in such a manner that they are axially alined and substantially coplanar. The longitudinal members 14 and 16 may be braced by end cross members 13 and 2t) and by a centrally located member 29. The longitudinal members are secured, preferably by welding, to a pair of spaced support members 22 and 24 and the members on respective sides of the device may be braced by means of a plurality of interconnecting struts 26. it may also be desirable to provide tension members 28 diverging downwardly from approximately the center of the longitudinal members to the point of intersection of the respective support member and the outer struts.

The support members 22 and 24 are substantially curvilinear and preferably arcuate in form as shown at 3b for a major portion of their length and may be provided at the ends with a straight portion 32. The purpose of the straight portions 32 is to provide a stop means for determining the limits of motion in either direction and to lend stability at extreme points of the action of the device. 'In other words, when one person has jumped on his platform and propelled the other person into the air, the device preferably will come to rest on the straight portions at one end of the support and thereby ensure a stationary platform for the propelled person to land on and to in turn propel the first jumper into the air. In order to facilitate the jumping action and to prevent slipping, the surfaces 34 of each platform 10 may be roughened, corrugated, or provided with a plurality of spaced pads of a rough material so that friction will be provided for the jumpers feet.

It has been found that certain approximate proportions in the dimensions "are essential for optimum performance of the device. Thus the radius of the arcuate portion 389 of the support members is preferably about twice the length of the device. Also, the height of the device is preferably about one tenth of the length but may be in the range of about one sixth to about one fifteenth of the length. With regard to the position of the platforms, it should be noted that it is essential that they be at least approximately coplanar and for this reason, in the preferred embodiment, are mounted directly on the horizontally disposed longitudinal members 14 and 16.

FIGURE 3 discloses one alternate form of construction wherein spaced support members of wood, plastic or aluminum, carry platforms 42 and are interconnected by one or more cross braces id. In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the top surface of each support member 48 is horizontally disposed while the bottom surface is curvilinear or arcuate except for straight portions at each end. The contour and proportions of the embodiment of FIGURE 3, therefore, are the same as in the embodiment of FIGURE 1. It is only the type of construction with regard to material which is different.

It is seen, therefore, that there has been provided a unique amusement device, which might also be called an exerciser or a toy, suitable for adults as well as children and which requires only a little skill and coordination to operate. Because it is operated by alternate jumping of two players whereby each of them is also alternately propelled into the air, it is more stimulating and exciting than ordinary rocking devices. Because of theleverage of approximately five to one when either end of the device is rest-ing on adjacent straight portions of the curvilinear or convex support members, as for example when one person is standing on a platform and the second person is in the act of jumping onto the other platform, the device may be utilized by players of the same or of greatly difiering weight.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending frame members, a support member associated with each of said frame members, said support members being secured at their ends to the ends of the corresponding frame members and being spaced from the frame members centrally thereof, each of said support members being straight from the points of connection for a distance of approximately one-fifth of the length of the frame members and having the straight por tions interconnected by an arcuate portion having a radius of approximately two times the length of the frame members, a plurality of struts interconnecting the frame members to the associated support members, a pair of tension members connected to each frame member centrally thereof and diverging endwardly and downwardly toward the associated support member and secured thereto, and a pair of platforms at opposite ends of said device spanin ning and secured to said frame members, said platforms being coplanar, said device having an overall height of not more than about one-ninth of the overall length of the frame members so that when the straight portions of the support members engage a supporting surface, the user is projected substantially vertically.

2. A jumping 'boardcomprising: spaced, generally par,- allel, horizontally disposed members, eachof said members having a generally convex lower supporting surface terminating at either end in a straight portion, and a platform at each end of said device interconnecting said members and secured thereto, said device having a length to height ratio of at least nine to one, and being so related to thecurvatureof said convex supporting surface and to the angular relation of said straight portionyof said platform as to cause said platform to be disposed at an angle to the horizontal when said straight portion engages a supporting surface as to project the user substantially vertically.'

3. An amusement device for two persons comprising individual platforms for supportingly receiving the feet of each person, said platforms :beingsubstantially coplanar and horizontally disposed, generally convex platform support means accommodating alternate upward and downward movement of said platforms, means for determining the extent of said movement, said device having a length to height ratio of more than nine to one and being so related to the curvatureof said convex surface and to the angular relation of said movement determining means and said platform as to cause said platform to be disposed at an angle to the horizontal so as to project the user substantially vertically when said movement determining means engages a supporting surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,583 5/91 Spencer 27256 915,793 3/09 Par-menter 27256 2,417,618 3/47 Scott 27256 2,871,015 1/59 Block 27256 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B.,LOVV E, Examiner. 

3. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR TWO PERSONS COMPRISING INDIVIDUAL PLATFORMS FOR SUPPORTINGLY RECEIVING THE FEET OF EACH PERSON, SAID PLATFORMS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR AND HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, GENERALLY CONVEX PLATFORM SUPPORT MEANS ACCOMMODATING ALTERNATE UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PLATFORMS, MEANS FOR DETERMINING TH EXTENT OF SAID MOVEMENT, SAID DEVICE HAVING A LENGHT TO HEIGHT RATIO OF MORE THAN NINE TO ONE AND BEING SO RELATED TO THE CURVATURE OF SAID CONVEX SURFACE AND TO THE ANGULAR RELATION OF SAID MOVEMENT DETERMINING MEANS AND SAID PLATFORM AS TO CAUSE SAID PLATFORM TO BE DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL SO AS TO PROJECT THE USER SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY WHEN SAID MOVEMENT DETERMINING MEANS ENGAGES A SUPPORTING SURFACE. 